The Make It Real Program 2012-2013
What a start to the Make It Real Program this year! We have had so many exciting developments and our Transitional/Vocational program continues to grow in leaps and bounds. Because of the program’s expansion, we now have three job coaches. Please welcome Joe and Bob to our school and of course our wonderful and dedicated job coach, Tarryn, has returned this year.
Our internship schedule is packed! Students and their coaches are constantly on-the-go and we have added several job sites and volunteer sites this year. We are now proud to partner with Shoprite of Chester, Friendly’s of Bernardsville, the Interfaith Food Pantry, Acorn Hall Historical Museum, Cherrybrook Premium Pet Supplies, Marshalls of Bridgewater, Flowers on the Ridge, The Somerset County Park Commission, the VNA Adult Day Care, CVS of Bedminster, STS Tire and Auto Repair of Chester, Second Chance Thrift Store, Foster Fields Historical Society, the Bernardsville Library, Holly Manor Nursing Home, and the St. Hubert’s Animal Shelter. Major new job sites are being added as I write this and we should have very exciting news to share in the near future.
The MIR volunteer program continues to be beneficial for the community and our students. This school year, the MIR Program is responsible for a home delivery once a month. And once again this year there will be a food/items donation drive for the St. Hubert’s Animal Shelter. All supplies and food will be collected between 11/1/12 – 12/7/12 here at Montgomery Academy. Please be on the lookout for our Food Pantry Drive in the spring.
Students have also been working hard on their MIR Program projects. So far this year, students have made their own personalized stainless steel mugs and custom made pens in the Wood Shop and the Culinary Arts room is always cooking up a meal or baked good for sale in our MIR Café every week.
The addition of the Pre-MIR classroom has been a tremendous success! Eric and Nan have done a fantastic job making certain that students are well-prepared for success starting at an early age. Our community trips and independent living classroom lessons have been essential supplements to the quality academics being taught. All of our students in the MIR Program are developing tremendous skills to best prepare them for the world at large.
Michael Engber – School Counselor/ Transition Coordinator